Setting Up Your Database (An example for one machine)

Step 1: Create a Production Area

The first step is to define the areas where your machines are located. Production Areas are used to group machines in your Shift Reports, Weekly Reports, and Downtime Cost Reports. You only need to enter an Area Name and a Description that can be used for your own reference. Try to avoid generic names such as 'Production' or 'Manufacturing' to avoid confusion. See some examples below.

• From the Main Menu, click Database Set-up then, click Production Areas.
• Production Areas are used to group machines in your reports. That is, when you create a report by production area, all machines classified in the selected area will be included in the report.
• Enter the Area Name and a Description of a production area used in the manufacturing facility. Examples of production areas include, wafer fabrication, finishing, packaging, injection molding, or sub-assembly.
• Click the Add button to save your production area definition.

Step 2: Create a Machine Type

The second step is to define a Machine Type. Machine types are used to group machines that are similar in their function and downtime categories. That is, every machine classified under the same Machine Type will share the same downtime categories.

Note: Include in each Machine Type the machines that perform similar functions and are expecting to have similar downtime problems.

To set-up machine types, a Machine Type Name will be needed (e.g., filler, wafer fab, forklift, conveyor, extruder, grinder, sealer, fabricator, air compressor, etc.) and a brief description.

• From the Main Menu, click Database Set-up then, click Machine Types.
• Enter a name for the Machine Type and a Description useful to understand what type of machines are included in each machine type. Click on the Add button to save your information.

Step 3: Create a Machine Name

The third step is to define Machine Names that you are interested in tracking downtime. Each machine will be classified under one of the Machine Types (to share the downtime categories) and located in a production Area (for grouping in your reports).

Machine names have to be specific e.g., Press 1, XYZ Dryer, Fab 13 and XYZ Grinder. XYZ is a brand name or common identifier.

• From the Main Menu, click Database Set-up then, click Machine Names.
• Type a machine name, select the Production Area and select a Machine Type, then click on Add.

Step 4: Edit Machine Details

After setting up machines, you can modify some of the machine options. These include the number of Employees needed to operate this machine, the average Direct Labor Rate for these employees, the expected Units per Hour, and the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Goal percentage. The Employees per machine and their Direct Labor Rate are used to estimate the cost of machine downtime. The Units per Hour and Scheduled Downtime per Shift (mins) are used to calculate OEE.

In addition, you can enable or disable work order tracking. Work order tracking is used to track the product number or list number, net units produced and defective or rejected units associated with the work order. Work order tracking is required to be able to use the OEE tracking features of the database.

• From the Main Menu, click Database Set-up then, click Machine Details and Select a machine.
• When updating the machine options is complete, click the Update button to save your information.

This page also allows the option to rename or delete a machine. When you rename a machine, all downtime events associated with this machine will be updated. A machine cannot be deleted if there is downtime events associated with it.

Step 5: Defining Downtime Categories

Downtime Categories provide a way to classify your downtime events. This classification is critical because it is used for the first layer of downtime analysis. Many reports show the equipment downtime grouped by downtime category.

Examples of categories include the name of a robot, the number of a machine station (e.g., station 1 or 2), the loading or unloading conveyor, a heat exchanger, the printing station. Be sure to include other categories like meeting, machine not scheduled, unplanned preventive maintenance, or missing raw materials that are relevant to your operation.

• From the Main Menu, click Database Set-up, and then click Downtime Categories.
• Select a Machine Type and click on Show Categories to see the existing downtime categories.
• To add a new category enter its name and click Add.
• To copy downtime categories from an existing Machine Type, select the name from one machine type and paste it into the Add section of another machine type.

Step 6: Edit Shift Names

• The default Shift Names are: 1, 2, and 3.
• To edit the default shift names, from the Main Menu click Database Set-up then select Shift Names. You only need to modify shifts once. Shift definition applies to all production areas.

Your database is now set up. The next step is to print downtime collection sheets from the Print Data Collection Form link on the menu. Allow the machine operators to enter the data on the forms and then instruct them how to enter each downtime event into the database at the end of each shift.

After the data has been entered, shift reports can be printed and within a short period, you can start analyzing your machine downtime information.